I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

The Family that Heals

Chapter 4 – Fell Past, Revealed

Dahlia stared up at the ceiling of the dormitory, lying in bed.

It had been the longest week of her, admittedly not very long, life. She could barely remember her years before the families moved to the village. She knew for a time, she and Hadley and Hailey lived far apart. That said, they saw each other multiple times a week from many visits and frequently had sleepovers and the like. But that was not the same as being neighbors.

When they all moved to the village, it had been a huge change for them and one they loved. They saw each other every day, all day and night. They would simply go to each other's houses without a care or a thought and their parents did not mind, trusting the safety of the village and each other. Already the best of friends before the move, the three girls were inseparable after and were closer than close. The only times where they were not constantly together were vacations apart or when one was sick.

When they went to Hogwarts, there was a small tiny fear that they would not be in the same House. They did not think they would be Sorted separately, and had sworn to do something drastic if it did somehow come to pass. Thankfully, such threats went unneeded. When it was Dahlia's turn to be Sorted, her being first of the three, she had been a little frightened, though Harry had told her the Hat would be nice and take her wishes into account.

The Hat had been indeed very nice and when she asked the Hat not to take them apart, and to be put where her parents would be happy, the Hat had laughed and said that while she would fit quite well in every House, there was only one real choice. She had been ecstatic to be Sorted into Gryffindor, the same House as her parents and beloved family members for the most part, and had been relieved to see Hailey and Hadley joining her.

Everything had been perfect.

Nothing felt perfect now.

Hailey and Hadley had not physically fought since that terrible day and they did not draw away from each other, but had not interacted honestly either. They would speak to each other in class if needed, they were silent otherwise. They did not ignore each other per se, but did not engage at all. They wore their necklaces out, an odd gesture of solidarity and defiance.

They spoke easily to Dahlia, slightly more easily when it was just one of them and her truth be told, but pointedly and ignored Dahlia's attempts at getting them to talk to each other.

Then there was Daisy.

Dahlia was not stupid nor oblivious. She was very intelligent and oddly observant when it came to people's feelings. Growing up, she had caught the odd moments here and there. Times where her parents would say something in hushed tones and not mention something in front of her or her siblings or the other children. She could remember the time where she learned her father didn't have a favorite food, and the contest they had to try and find one.

How her mother's family had wonderful traditions and lots of happy memories of their own childhoods, yet Harry did not have those. She had been sad to learn that Harry did not have many blood family, like Hailey and Hadley. She had accepted it easily at the time since Auntie Dora, Auntie Luna, and Auntie Hermione were equally only children.

But they had happy childhood memories. Harry did not.

From as far back as she could remember, Dahlia was very protective of her father. Any imagined, or visible, slight against him was treated very poorly by her. Alice and Uncle Nathan still told the story that Dahlia had picked up a Beater's Bat and attacked Nathan when he hit Harry with a Bludger during practice when she was a toddler. The other adults recounted many times where she would glare at people who were mean to her daddy, even as a baby.

Dahlia loved her father with all her heart and soul and hated people that treated him badly.

But family should not be someone that hurts family. At least that is what she grew up thinking. And she knew family was not defined by blood alone. She could not imagine a life without Nana Andromeda and Grampa Ted, all her aunties, Grandmere Apolline and Grandpere Sebastian, Grandma Jean and Grandpa David.

But now she had a blood cousin, and her family had hurt her father. As far as what Hadley said. And Hadley would not lie about that.

Dahlia shifted uneasily. It had been hard for her to be so rude and cold to Daisy. Dahlia liked having friends, she liked being friendly and smiling with people. She had to learn not everyone could be a friend, or should be one even. Yet she rather be friendly with people unless they did something terrible to deserve not to be treated that way.

It should have been easy to file Daisy into that column. But the girl had looked so miserable that day and had continued to look even more sad. Others seemed to follow Dahlia, Hailey, and Hadley in ignoring the first year girl. Daisy kept to herself and was rarely seen in the common room. Dahlia had heard some of the others say that Daisy cried a lot, either in her dormitory or out in the castle.

That made her feel awful, but she deserved it because her daddy had hurt Dahlia's daddy.

Right?

Dahlia closed her eyes, wiping away tears of frustration and worry. Growing up, whenever she had any problems, she went straight to Harry. She knew that her daddy would be able to fix anything. And more often than not, he did. And if he was not able to, they figured out how to fix it with help from someone else. Harry had taught her to always go to the expert to fix a problem that she did not know how to fix.

For some reason, she had not gone straight to him for this. A part of her knew that this was a problem that would cause pain in fixing and she hated seeing Harry hurt for any reason. She also had not gone to any of the other adults. She was sure she could and would learn more about the situation if she did, but it did not feel right to do that either.

"Sometimes pain is necessary, my love. Pain means something is wrong, and that it needs to be healed. And if you wait too long, pain might never go away. Listen to your body, it knows what it needs."

Dahlia remembered that from her Nana Andromeda. A very good Healer, the woman had told her that while holding her hand while Grandma Sammi healed the wound. Samantha had agreed with her friend and fellow grandparent and if they both said something, it had to be true.

Dahlia opened her eyes. She looked to the left and the right, knowing curtains blocked her from her friends and soul sisters. She nodded to herself. She had tried to fix it and could not, so it was time to go to the expert.

She just hoped they had not let the pain linger too long.

-0-

It had been a long day, waiting for the afternoon. She had memorized Harry's teaching schedule and after her last class, walked to his classroom and sat and waited for his to end. She sat in the corridor, looking at her Charms textbook but not quite reading it, her eyes unfocused. All day, her thoughts had run rampant and she had no idea what to say really.

Finally the door opened and the students within filed out. They were sixth years and most of them greeted Dahlia politely when they saw her. Though they were not in Gryffindor, they knew who she was. She waited for most of them to walk out of sight before putting her book away and walking into the classroom.

Harry looked up and he smiled broadly for a moment. Dahlia loved that about him. Harry was really good about hiding his emotions and feelings when needed, but whenever he saw someone he truly loved and cared about, he always showed it. It was a look of pure delight and contentment and she never tired of seeing it.

He coughed, ignoring the giggling girls who he was talking to. "Miss Potter," he said professionally. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes Professor," Dahlia said. She still sometimes accidentally called him Daddy in front of other students but she was better about it. "I just needed to talk to you about something."

He nodded. "Be right with you then." He turned his attention back to the two sixth year Slytherins and answered their questions without hurrying them. They left, thanking him and greeting Dahlia as they passed. Once they left, Harry closed the door behind them and smiled warmly at his daughter.

"Oof!" he grunted when she collided with him heavily, hugging him as tightly as she could. "Dally? What's wrong?" Harry asked, immediately worried.

She said nothing at first, only wanting to hug him and he did not press further until she let go first. Her head hung down a little and she chewed her lip nervously.

"Does this have to do with you and Hailey and Hadley?" he asked gently, lifting her head and brushing her hair out of her face.

"You noticed?" she gasped, before sighing at his amused look. "Of course you did," she said, smiling a little. She nodded.

"Go on then," he encouraged gently.

She took a deep breath and looked up at him, emerald green eyes meeting emerald green eyes. "Do…do I have a cousin?"

Harry had been prepared for a lot and while that question was not completely out of the blue, it still hit him solidly and he sat back a little, winded physically and emotionally. "How did you know?" he said, the first words coming to mind.

"Hadley mentioned it," Dahlia mumbled. "Kinda."

"Hadley did?!"

"I mean she heard something she said she wasn't supposed to and she vaguely remembered it and then that led to me asking you this now," she said hurriedly.

Harry let out a deep breath, puffing his cheeks out. "Oh boy," he said.

"So I do?" Dahlia pressed.

Harry sighed even more deeply. "Uh, yeah, yes. Seems so. Maybe more too."

"Is it Daisy?"

Harry nodded slowly.

She started to cry. "Did her family hurt you?"

Harry pulled her to him and she clung to him, crying harder. He rubbed her back slowly, at a loss on how to properly respond. He instinctively tried to soothe her while his mind twisted and turned. "Did Hadley hear that?" he asked when she calmed down a little.

"She didn't mean to," Dahlia sniffled.

"I know. You girls are good girls," Harry said. He patted her back and after a while, sighed once more. "Wait, is that the reason you and Hadley and Hailey are fighting?"

"They're fighting," Dahlia corrected.

"Why?" Harry asked, flummoxed.

Dahlia flushed. "Hadley said something really mean." She looked away when Harry raised an eyebrow. "Hadley confronted Daisy and made her confess that she introduced herself with a lie when we met on the train. Then Hadley told her to stay away from us and she better not be rude to you or else."

Harry groaned as Dahlia continued. "Then Hailey said we needed to ask Mums or their dads if things were right and Hadley got mad and said that the reason Hailey wasn't as upset as her was because she didn't love you as much."

Harry groaned even louder at that. "Oh no."

"I think Hadley knew she went too far and didn't mean it," Dahlia said lamely, "but she hasn't apologized and I think Hailey knew she didn't really mean it but still. Then they fought and aren't talking."

"Words hurt, even if they weren't meant," Harry said with a sad sigh. He shook his head. "I never want to be the reason you girls fight."

"It's not your fault," Dahlia said mulishly.

Harry hugged her again, trying to come to terms with the situation. With another very heavy sigh he looked at her. "Go get them and bring them to my office. Tell them I want to talk to all of you."

"You're not mad at them, are you?" Dahlia asked.

He shook his head. "No, not over this. I guess…it's time I explained a few things." His smile was the saddest one that Dahlia had ever seen and her heart ached. "It'll make sense after. Go on, flower. We'll meet in my office." He kissed her back and sighed when she left, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. "I never wanted to do this," he said to the empty air.

-0-

"Hi Papa," Hadley and Hailey said together when the bunnies returned, in the same slightly too loud and obvious way they have done over the last few weeks. They hugged him tightly in turn and then sat on either side of Dahlia who fidgeted a little between them.

"Hi girls," Harry said warmly but he still looked sad. He closed the door to his office and faced them, rubbing the back of his neck. They sharpened at that. It was his usual thing to do when he was being serious with them.

"Dahlia told me what happened," he said. He smiled a little when both girls glared at their best friend who glared back defiantly. "It's okay. Don't blame her." He transitioned to rubbing his face. "It's sort of my fault."

"Are you doing that thing that Mummy doesn't like?" Hailey asked, frowning at him. "Where you blame yourself for something and it's not your fault?"

Harry snorted, admiring how much Hailey looked like Angelina at that moment, having seen that exact same facial expression a thousand times. "Yes and no. It really is kind of my fault." He snorted when all three girls looked remarkably like their mothers as they all frowned at him. "I love it when you do that," he said fondly, smiling as they giggled a little when they realized what they were doing.

He sighed again, a deep and heavy sound and it put the girls on edge. "I suppose I could have explained this to you before at some point, but a part of me never wanted to. It's something I never wanted you girls to know, but maybe I did more harm than good by never telling you."

He rubbed his face again as they looked faintly panicked at his words. "I wish Katie was here," he mumbled. "I'm mucking this up." He steeled himself and took a deep breath. "I didn't have a good childhood," he said at last, looking sadly at his girls.

They looked up at him, spellbound. They had seen him in all sorts of states through the years. Happy and content, smiling wider than any other person. They had seen him on the top of the world after catching game ending Snitches, winning championships of all levels, including the World Cup. They had seen him celebrate all sorts of occasions, from the smallest and most mundane to the biggest and grandest. They had seen him sad. Seen him, rarely, angry. They had seen him when he was sick and tired and exhausted. From bad injuries from Quidditch, from illnesses.

They had never seen him like this. So weary, so small.

Defeated.

"You know my mother and father died when I was a baby," he said and they nodded, starting to tear up. He gulped and fought down his own emotion, trying to be strong for them. "I was sent to my aunt, my mother's sister. She, her husband, and my cousin, did not treat me well when I was little."

"Like the kids that Grandma Sammi works with?" Dahlia asked, her voice trembling.

"Some of them, yes," Harry said, unwilling to lie to her at this moment. He grunted and flailed, nearly falling over his desk as the three little girls tackled him, hugging him desperately.

"Why?!" Hailey asked, crying. "They were your family! Family should love family!"

"Not all family does, sadly," Harry wheezed, hugging them back. "AliMum's family wasn't kind to her either."

"But they didn't hurt her like you!" Hadley said, tears make tracks down her face.

"Not all hurt is the same," Harry started.

"But she said yours was worse!" Hadley sobbed.

"What exactly did you hear?" he asked, wiping her tears away with a handkerchief. "And when did you hear this?"

Hadley flushed. "Mummy was complaining about her brother and her mum to Daddy and she then said what she had gone through was better than what you did. She said she hoped to be able to meet your family one day and punish them and Daddy agreed. And I was surprised because Daddy is only that angry with Mummy's family and with some people in Puddlemere."

"Yeah, those two would be the only ones that Captain won't like," Harry sighed. "I'm surprised a little how he feels about my relations though."

"Was it bad?" Dahlia asked, her eyes wet and her face looking anguished.

Harry's heart creaked and cracked at her expression. "It was," he said finally. "They said a lot of bad things and did bad things to me."

"Why?!" the girls cried.

Harry sighed. "I don't know," he said honestly. "I guess they didn't like having to raise me, and my aunt and my mother had a falling out before I was born."

"That's no excuse!" Hailey cried.

"No, it's not," Harry agreed sadly.

"When you say the Team saved you…" Dahlia began.

"They really did," Harry said quietly. "Literally and in every sense of the word. They noticed what was going on, and they helped me be brave, they taught me right from wrong, and took care of me until I finally left before my fourth year."

"You're right," Hailey said, looking at Hadley directly. "It is Daisy's family's fault and we should treat her like that!"

"No."

The girls looked up at Harry, shocked by his stern tone and serious face.

Harry knelt until he was eye to eye with them. "Girls, while I am happy that you want to defend me, how you are doing it is wrong," he said calmly.

"Why?" Hadley asked, looking wounded.

"It is not Daisy's fault."

"But her daddy is the one that hurt you!" Hailey insisted.

"Yes, but she is not her daddy," Harry said patiently, as calmly as he could. It was easy to say, he had been saying it to himself for a while now. "Until she has proven she is like him, we cannot assume she is."

"Mummy says sometimes the spell doesn't fall far from the wand," Hadley said loudly.

"And she's not wrong, sometimes," Harry said slowly. "But I want you to learn something I had to learn a while back too. Children should never fight the battles their parents start. It's not fair to them." He rubbed his neck again as the girls stared at him. "Has Daisy treated you rudely?"

"She lied to us about her name and that she didn't know who you were," Hadley growled.

"Okay, that's not nice, but anything else?" Harry pressed.

The girls shook their heads.

"Girls, I want you to promise me this, you cannot punish her for what her father…or her grandparents did to me," he said quietly.

"No!" Hadley said loudly.

"Why not?!" Hailey shouted.

Even Dahlia looked rebellious at that.

"Because it isn't fair," he said patiently.

"What about what they did?!" they asked together.

Harry looked up at the stone ceiling briefly for inspiration. "Your dad and your uncle had a bit of a reputation during school," he said at last to Hailey.

"I know, they've told us stories," Hailey said proudly.

Harry smirked a little. "Would it be fair if a child of someone they played pranks on in the past was rude and bullied you because of it? And not because they and you were having fun, but because they wanted to hurt you?"

"Oh, uh no," Hailey said, thinking.

"How about kids of the Quidditch players that have a grudge against your dad?" Harry asked Hadley. "Your mum is a bit tough on other students. Is it fair for them to bother you because of how they feel about her?"

"No," Hadley said quietly.

Harry looked at his daughter who looked torn. "No, but you didn't hurt them like her family hurt you," she said and the other two girls nodded emphatically. "It's not fair!"

"Remember how Gellers treated you at the Quidditch camp that time?" he asked. "That wasn't fair either, right? How he talked to you because you're my daughter."

The three girls looked at each, looking reluctant to agree.

"A lot of things aren't fair," Harry said kindly. "I shouldn't have grown up like that, but I did and not even the best time turner can ever go back that far to fix that. I know sometimes it's tough to be the better person, but some things cannot be solved by hurting others over it. It won't fix anything. In fact, it would make things worse."

The girls looked at each other soberly.

"I won't make this a Papa promise," he said gently. "I won't force you to do anything you truly don't want to, even if it's for your own good in this case. You girls are growing up and before, the promises were to keep you from hurting yourself because you didn't know why or what could happen. I want you girls to understand though now, you're old enough and smart enough and mature enough."

They looked at each other again. "Can we be mean and rude if she's mean and rude?" Hadley asked.

"Officially, as a professor, no," Harry said, smiling when they giggled. "As your godfather, I'll never be mad at you for defending yourselves or each other."

"That's fair," Dahlia said. She looked at her friends again and before Harry could open his mouth, Hadley spoke.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking at Hailey. "I didn't mean to say that. I mean, I did because I was mad and hurt and I guess I wanted you to feel the same way. But I know you love Papa Harry and it wasn't right for me to say that." She looked at Hailey with pleading eyes.

"I forgive you," Hailey said easily and hugged Hadley hard with the other girl reciprocating gratefully. "I knew you didn't and I didn't mean to not believe you either, I was just trying to listen to what Mummy said too and I'm sorry for fighting too."

They drew an ecstatic Dahlia in. "Sorry for making you deal with us," they said together.

"I'm just happy we're sisters again," Dahlia said gratefully, hugging them both.

Harry sighed again but it was a loving sound, and one saturated with relief.

"That was a really good punch by the way," Hailey said when they broke apart. "My eye was black. Where did you learn how to punch like that?"

"Wait, what?" Harry asked, staring at them.

"Auntie Dora," Hadley said matter of factly.

"Dora's been teaching you how to fight?!" Harry exclaimed.

"Where did you learn to knee like that? That really hurt!" Hadley asked, smiling.

"Uncle Percy," Hailey said without fanfare or hesitation.

"Percy's been teaching you how to fight?!" Harry exclaimed even more loudly. "Wait, that's actually not too much of a surprise."

"Uncle Percy said the best way to stop a fight is to end it first and since I scrap with my cousins from Mummy's brothers, he said I need to learn," Hailey said, looking innocent with some degree of success.

"I told you they fought!" Dahlia said when Harry looked at her.

"Yeah, yeah you did," Harry said, shaking his head. "I didn't notice a black eye-oh. Your medkits right?" He sighed wearily at three identical nods. "At least you're using them for what they were made for."

"Why didn't you tell us before?" Hailey asked, looking at him.

Harry made a sad expression. "I didn't want you to know," he said honestly. "I don't like thinking about my childhood and I never wanted to upset you girls for any reason, especially for something like that."

"Is that why you spoil us and are the best?" Hadley asked, lip trembling.

"I wanted to give you the best childhood," Harry nodded. This time he was unsuccessful at staying upright as the girls bowled him over.

"You're the best daddy," Dahlia whimpered, hugging him with all her strength and Hailey and Hadley did so too. They echoed her sentiments by squeezing even harder. "We love you," they said together, tearily.

"I love you all so much," Harry wheezed, hugging them back as hard as he could. Eventually they let him go a little, enough for him to sit up and lean against the desk. After a moment of warmth and comfort, he looked at them. "Do you think you can let Daisy be herself? And not hold her family against her?"

"I'll try," Hadley said with the other two echoing her.

"That's all I ask," Harry said gratefully. "You don't have to be friends with her, but don't hurt her for no reason. I know you three are better than that." He held them for a while longer. "Want to come home this weekend?"

"Yes please," they said together.

"Okay, we'll do that. I'll talk to McGonaMum," he said and smiled when they did. "Thank you girls, I'm so proud of you."

"I'm going to talk to Daddy a little more," Dahlia said. Hailey and Hadley nodded.

"We'll wait outside," Hadley said. After hugging and kissing Harry again, the pair left, looking like they used to in action and expression, making Dahlia and Harry smile with relief.

Dahlia turned to look at her father. "I know I don't have to be friends with Daisy, but am I supposed to be cousins with her?"

Harry sucked in a breath. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

Dahlia looked troubled. "I don't know if I do, especially if her Daddy hurt you," she said, making a fierce expression. "But she's really alone and looks really sad," she said, her expression softening. "I feel bad for her. She kinda feels like how I felt Auntie Hermione was like when she was a firstie. Before you and Uncle Ron were friends with her."

Harry leaned back against the desk, pensive. "That's a very good point," he said at last.

"She seemed nice before…well…everything," Dahlia said weakly.

"What do you want to do?" Harry asked seriously.

Dahlia shrugged. "I don't know." She chewed her lip a little. "I always thought it was nice to have more family. And I feel bad for her. But I don't know."

Harry nodded. "Well, how about you see if you can be friends with her," he suggested. "Try to ignore what her father did, to the best of your ability," he added when she scowled at him, "and see her for her alone. As Daisy."

"I can do that," Dahlia said.

"That's my girl," Harry praised, hugging her close.

"I don't like being mean and angry at people," Dahlia said.

"That's because you are a very sweet person with a huge heart," Harry said.

"Unless they're mean and bad to you," she added.

"And very honest," Harry added, smiling as she giggled.

"She hasn't been mean or bad to you, has she?" Dahlia asked.

"No, she's been afraid of me I think. Which makes sense if Hadley threatened her," Harry sighed. He looked at her. "Would it make you feel better if we both talked to Daisy?" He smiled at her nod. "Let's do that tomorrow then."

"Thank you, Daddy," Dahlia said gratefully. She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him tight. "You fix everything."

"I try," he said wryly.

"I love you."

"Love you more."

"Nuh uh!"

He laughed and kissed her forehead and cheeks. "Okay, how about you go enjoy Hadley and Hailey not fighting anymore and make sure they stay out of trouble."

"Yes Daddy. Bye!"

He smiled as she left, seeing how much happier she looked. She walked without evident burden on her shoulders like before, back to the happy girl he knew and loved. With a soft sigh, he reached up his desk and pulled down two pictures. One was of him and Katie, the other of James and Lily Potter. He looked down at the pictures with a soft expression.

"She's growing up," he said softly. "All of them are."

Maybe I can grow up a little more too, he thought as he hugged the pictures to his chest.

-0-0-0-

odonnellzoo99 - I must not have been clear. I don't think any of the other adults have any problems with Daisy. Alicia is amused that the Dursleys have a magical child, but she doesn't have a problem with Daisy. The others, like George, don't think it was fair to Harry for him to have learned just before the Sorting. But I could have failed in conveying that. In any case, they aren't upset with Daisy. Just at the Dursleys from how they treated Harry.

61394 - There's a lot of complicated feelings all around.

TheSphynx - Hopefully people will come to appreciate how things change and grow throughout.

DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - There will be some tougher moments, yes, but hopefully the other moments will balance things out.

poka - Definitely in this setting at least. But we know what could cause the fuse to burn fast. Hope you liked today's chapter.

alix33 - I always liked Fred and George's version of revenge from Family. I thought it was subtle and was even more debilitating than the typical revenge.

HoneyBear84 - Thank you.